


A Dead King's Surprise

by Otp_Obsessions



Category: The Last Kingdom (TV), The Warrior Chronicles | The Saxon Stories - Bernard Cornwell
Genre: 4x01, Afterlife, Alfred is dead, F/M, Vaginal Sex, aethelflaed and uhtred are together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:33:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25173928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Otp_Obsessions/pseuds/Otp_Obsessions
Summary: A oneshot/drabble of Alfred looking down on Uhtred and Aethelflaed in 4x01 and realizing he was blind to their developing feelings and relationship. Quasi peeping tom of Alfred but I am terribly curious what the other character’s thoughts are of Aethelflaed/Uhtred.
Relationships: Aethelflaed Lady of Mercia/Uhtred of Bebbanburg
Kudos: 21





	A Dead King's Surprise

He should have seen it sooner. He should’ve seen it that last winter before he died. When Uhtred arrived at Aegelesburg as an outlaw in the company of his daughter and bastard son. But he was blinded, by Uhtred's betrayal, distracted by the fact that his bastard son stood as a part of Uhtred’s band of outlaws and closest friends, and startled by the news of Uhtred’s brother Ragnar’s death. He should’ve seen it then in how close his daughter stood to Uhtred, in the shared looks between them when confronted. There must’ve been something between them even back then. Had they had already been intimate during the time Uhtred was an outlaw and reportedly come to his daughters rescue? He wondered if there was more to Uhtred's rescue of Aethelflaed from the Dane brothers Erik and Siegfried at Beamfleot all those years ago. And further what of Uhtred’s return to Aethelflaed's estate to protect her following the second battle at Beamfleot?

And now years later when he finally checked back in on Aethelflaed again he found her to be at Coccham in the bed of Uhtred Ragnarson in the throes of passion. He did not wish to see this of his own daughter but at the same time he could not look away. How long had this been going on? Had they been lying with one another since before he had passed? He had looked in on Aethelflaed on occasion and had once had the timing of seeing how his son-in-law treated her, bedding her violently. He cringed in disgust at his decision in her match to Aethelred for he was a weak and cowardly man. While Uhtred could be quick to temper and both unmerciful and brutally violent on the battlefield, Alfred himself had seen nothing but joy in the Lady Gisela’s eyes while she lived married to Uhtred. She had even admitted to him and Lord Odda that she was very happy in her marriage. Uhtred may be a great and violent warrior with hundreds having fallen by his hand, but his passion and loyalty translated to the treatment of his lovers. He did not believe Uhtred would ever lay an abusing hand on a lover or child for that matter. And after all this time apparently Alfred’s own daughter had been one of those lovers. 

Alfred was pulled from his thoughts and his attention returned to the pair as dogs started barking. Uhtred, ever vigilant, paused in his lovemaking his hand stilling on her waist as he looked up from kissing Aethelflaed’s neck. She breathlessly reassured him that no one knew she was at Coccham and that only a few select trusted guards knew. After a moment of further listening, Uhtred resumed his ministrations, reassured by Aethelflaed. However, moments later there was a thump from outside and he paused again, his hand once again going still, this time at Aethelflaed's breast. Uhtred slowly and quietly stood from the bed kissing Aethelflaed’s neck as he slipped out of her and grabbed his sword from where it leaned against a bedpost. He did not bother with modesty as his children were not in his home at the moment. Alfred’s thoughts paused on that fact and he realized that that should have been another clue as Uhtred’s daughter Stiorra was on Aethelflaed's estate with her daughter Aelfwynn. They kept their children under the same roof. Uhtred quietly tread down the stairs nude with his sword casually slung over his shoulder. He glanced around and walked to the door where Aldhelm quietly spoke through the door that Aethelflaed's absence has been noticed and they must leave at once. 

Uhtred sighed and quietly returned to Aethelflaed who had started dressing, coming up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her neck while she tied the strings of her shift together. Alfred listened in as Uhtred begged her to stay and not to return to her cruel husband. Uhtred continued to kiss the side of Aethelflaed's face and neck and his hands moved to her breasts. She smiled as she reached for his hands and then turned to kiss him and protested saying that men should not die for her to love him. 

And there it was, his daughter was in fact in love with Uhtred Ragnarson, his sworn sword and trusted friend. Alfred wanted to feel betrayed by the fact that his friend had bedded his daughter but he could see the happiness on both his daughter and Uhtred's faces. Happiness he had not seen grace Uhtred’s face since Gisela died years ago and certainly had not seen in Aethelflaed's whenever she was in the presence of her husband. Uhtred was a widower but Alfred's daughter remained married to her weasel of a husband he thought sourly. And therein lie the reason for all of the secrecy, if Aethelred discovered Aethelflaed had been unfaithful he could divorce her and take Mercia from her. 

He wanted to be angry but he could only smile softly as he looked on the pair wrapped in each other’s arms whispering quietly to each other both with smiles on their faces. As much as he wanted to deny it, they were well matched. Aethelflaed was even-tempered and rather stoic whereas Uhtred was hot-headed, arrogant and playful. When Aethelred died, which with the man's cowardice and arrogance was bound to happen soon, he would not find that Uhtred was an ill-fitted match for his daughter. Though he feared a simple domestic life for the two of them and their children was not in the cards. With a small smile he turned away from their both tender and passionate parting kiss, not wanting to intrude on their private moments any further all the while hoping god would allow his daughter and his dear friend a chance to finally be happy.


End file.
